Running a PC with the case side panel off?

JohnJSal

JohnJSal

Active Member
The book I'm reading suggests leaving the side panel off when you first turn on a new build, just to make sure everything is okay before you close it up. Is this alright to do? Given that cases require the internal movement of air to keep things cool, would this cause any of the components to overheat, even if the PC is on for just a few minutes?
 
I always leave the side cover off until i'm ready to give it to the customer. Lets you feel the temp of the hard drive, listen for any weird sounds from the inside.
 
Mine motherboard sat on my desk for a few days while I was setting it up (I was using the computer without a case).

My case has been open for a few days now as well because I'm putting a window in the door.

It's nothing to worry about, just check your temps and make sure nothing's about to explode.
 
fortyways said:
Mine motherboard sat on my desk for a few days while I was setting it up (I was using the computer without a case).

My case has been open for a few days now as well because I'm putting a window in the door.

It's nothing to worry about, just check your temps and make sure nothing's about to explode.
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Ok, thanks. See how I worry? :)

Btw, I got a lot of my components today. Mobo, GPU, case, speakers, CPU. The rest comes Monday. Tomorrow I hope to finally buy a monitor. Then I'll be ready to start building!

It's very cool actually holding these component boxes in my hands. I'm a first-timer. ;)
 
As others have stated, it is best to keep the side case off until things are all set up and okay. As my Dad said, turn it on and oif you don't hear it post, turn it off; FAST! :D
 
I heard having the side panel off your case when it's running really disrupts the air flow, and actually is hotter than with it on. I'm not sure about when you just build it.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
As my Dad said, turn it on and oif you don't hear it post, turn it off; FAST! :D
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That reminds me of another question. When you turn it on for the first time, what exactly happens? Does it just stop at the BIOS screen? When is it safe to turn it off at this point? Do you just push the power button to turn it off?

I guess I'm used to being in Windows and knowing it's not a good thing to just turn the power off manually (as opposed to shutting down the computer), so I'm not quite sure how it works before Windows is installed and you're just looking at the POST screen. Is there a proper time to turn it off, or can it be any time?
 
Well, you have to press a key to get into the BIOS, usually delete.

If you turn it on without an OS on the hdd and no bootable disk in the optical drive and don't enter the BIOS it'll usually holler and bitch about having nothing to boot from and ask you to "select the correct drive and restart," or something.

You can turn it off by the power switch while you're in the BIOS.
 
fortyways said:
Well, you have to press a key to get into the BIOS, usually delete.

If you turn it on without an OS on the hdd and no bootable disk in the optical drive and don't enter the BIOS it'll usually holler and bitch about having nothing to boot from and ask you to "select the correct drive and restart," or something.

You can turn it off by the power switch while you're in the BIOS.
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Ok, thanks. So I guess I just wait for the single beep, enter BIOS, then turn it off? Then I can install Windows? Sounds easy enough. :)
 
Yeah, if everything works then it's very easy. Make sure that ACHI hard drive mode is disabled. I enabled it somehow when I was building and it caused my hard drive to not be recognized. It took me forever to figure this out, it was really lame when I finally did and realized it was such a simple solution.
 
fortyways said:
Well, you have to press a key to get into the BIOS, usually delete.

If you turn it on without an OS on the hdd and no bootable disk in the optical drive and don't enter the BIOS it'll usually holler and bitch about having nothing to boot from and ask you to "select the correct drive and restart," or something.

You can turn it off by the power switch while you're in the BIOS.
Click to expand...

my mobo would cycle the power supply on/off twice before giving up. i've read it's an msi thing

JohnJSal said:
The book I'm reading suggests leaving the side panel off when you first turn on a new build, just to make sure everything is okay before you close it up. Is this alright to do? Given that cases require the internal movement of air to keep things cool, would this cause any of the components to overheat, even if the PC is on for just a few minutes?
Click to expand...

so i'm assuming the "plug in/reverse" technique for the wires is working wonders
 
oregon said:
Yeah, if everything works then it's very easy. Make sure that ACHI hard drive mode is disabled. I enabled it somehow when I was building and it caused my hard drive to not be recognized. It took me forever to figure this out, it was really lame when I finally did and realized it was such a simple solution.
Click to expand...

Funny you mention that, because I read about that in the mobo manual and wondered if I should enable it. But I left everything at default first and it all worked.
 
tuxify said:
I heard having the side panel off your case when it's running really disrupts the air flow, and actually is hotter than with it on. I'm not sure about when you just build it.
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Had a SCSI raid setup catch on fire last time I opened the side panel of a server.
 
tuxify said:
I heard having the side panel off your case when it's running really disrupts the air flow, and actually is hotter than with it on. I'm not sure about when you just build it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why I asked, because I know just having open air around the components doesn't help to cool them.
 
really if you wanted to you could have the MOBO sitting on a table and have everything connected and turn it on just make sire fans are faceing important things like the HD
 
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